Damien Urcel (Team Madras Capesterre Belle-Eau) has secured his second consecutive stage victory at the Tour de Marie-Galante, winning a demanding 157.7-kilometre third stage between Grand-Bourg and Capesterr.
Urcel triumphed in a sprint finish, clocking a time of 3 hours, 43 minutes, and 7 seconds, ahead of overall yellow jersey holder Benjamin Le Ny (Team CAMA CCD) and Cyril Bourdon (Guidon Sprinter Canalien Cycling Team).
The stage proved to be another formidable test for the riders, featuring eight challenging climbs including Morne la Vierge, Wack, and Morne Lolo. From the outset in Grand-Bourg, several riders attempted to break away, setting a high pace for the peloton.
Early in the race, a quartet, including Bermuda's Kaden Hopkins (USL), the initial yellow jersey wearer, formed at the front alongside Yannis Agricole (USL), Julien Chane Foc (TMCBE), and Loïc Laviolette (Excelsior). This group initially looked strong, but the challenging terrain and relentless pace eventually took their toll on Hopkins.
As the race progressed, the leading group evolved, with a strong contingent of approximately twenty riders, including Urcel, Clavier (CCD), Le Ny, Deloumeaux (JCA), and Le Cunff (TMCBE) — all the tour's key contenders — pushing the pace. Notably, the previous yellow jersey holder, Hopkins, was not among them.
Hopkins eventually finished the stage in 28th place, clocking 3 hours, 53 minutes, and 33 seconds, a significant 10 minutes and 26 seconds behind stage winner Urcel.
This challenging day sees Hopkins drop to 29th in the overall standings, with an aggregate time of 7 hours, 57 minutes, and 12 seconds. He now trails the new yellow jersey holder, Benjamin Le Ny, by 20 minutes and 7 seconds. Le Ny maintains his overall lead with a time of 7 hours, 37 minutes, and 5 seconds, solidifying his position at the top of the general classification.
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